|
2/4
|
65%
|
The We and the I (2013) |
"
Gondry has talent, and I think he enjoyed being with these youngsters, but the film suffers in trying to impose something vaguely like a story on a framework that boils down to teen high jinks during a bus ride."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 22, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
90%
|
Beyond The Hills (2013) |
"
The film offers rewards for the patient viewer as it examines conflicting visions of love played out in a remote faith-based community."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
65%
|
A Fierce Green Fire (2013) |
"
It's a decent overview of the subject, but the film's presentation is unexceptional, and it never hints that there is reasoned opposition to the views it advocates."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 15, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
82%
|
Like Someone in Love (2013) |
"
There are some limited rewards in seeing the consequences and complexities that result from the characters' deceptions and assumed roles, but in the end the film is unsatisfying."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
93%
|
Barbara (2012) |
"
The movie examines the possibility of maintaining one's humanity in a truly oppressive society."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 8, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
89%
|
A Place at the Table (2013) |
"
"A Place at the Table" presents a shameful truth that should leave viewers dismayed and angry: This nation has more than enough food for all its people, yet millions of them are hungry."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 7, 2013
|
|
1/4
|
25%
|
Phantom (2013) |
"
A game effort by a decent cast highlights the old-fashioned submarine thriller "Phantom," but heavy-handed dialogue, flurries of melodrama and a silly ending make the whole enterprise sink like a stone."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 1, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
87%
|
Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2013) |
"
It's a do-it-yourself world that Herzog clearly admires - much of what we see is the men performing the tasks that enable them to survive."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Feb 22, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
95%
|
West of Memphis (2012) |
"
It tells the story of a terrible crime compounded by a grave injustice that's been remedied, but only in part, so it's impossible to have a single or simple response to the movie."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Feb 8, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
100%
|
Sound City (2013) |
"
If it doesn't break any ground as a documentary, it's a heartfelt testament to a place he considers among the most hallowed halls of rock."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Feb 1, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
81%
|
In Another Country (2013) |
"
If you take the film as the bauble it is, you'll be entertained by its lighthearted wit, social observations and resolute sidestepping of profundity."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jan 25, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
42%
|
Let Fury Have The Hour (2012) |
"
If passion were all that mattered, "Let Fury Have the Hour" might be the film of the year."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jan 18, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
67%
|
California Solo (2012) |
"
Mainly worth seeing as a showcase for the appealing Scottish actor Robert Carlyle, who plays a has-been rocker reduced to eking out a living on an organic farm in Southern California."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jan 11, 2013
|
|
3/4
|
88%
|
Tchoupitoulas (2012) |
"
The film can be seen as simply a kind of impressionistic travelogue, but it slowly and irresistibly conveys that we're also seeing a rite of passage."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jan 4, 2013
|
|
2/4
|
33%
|
Deadfall (2012) |
"
Despite a super-dark noir plot and respectable cast, "Deadfall" is a thriller that never quite delivers on its promise."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Dec 21, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
87%
|
The Matchmaker (2012) |
"
Nesher ... has a populist touch, showing a sure hand with the numerous subplots and never allowing us to lose sight of his characters' humanity, even the mostly pathetic villain of the piece."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Dec 14, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
88%
|
Starlet (2012) |
"
The plotline is unpromising - young porn actress befriends crotchety old lady - and the setup is underwhelming. But stick with "Starlet," and you'll reap unexpected rewards."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 30, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
95%
|
Chasing Ice (2012) |
"
The movie might have given us a bit less of Balog and a bit more of the startling sequences he produced. "
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 23, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
88%
|
The Big Picture (2012) |
"
Takes familiar material - involving a violent crime and an assumed identity - and nudges it just enough to keep us interested for most of the ride. "
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 21, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
98%
|
Brooklyn Castle (2012) |
"
"Brooklyn Castle" easily checkmates your inner cynic."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 15, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
95%
|
Sister (2012) |
"
Seydoux perfectly captures the anger and self-defeat of ill-educated, hedonistic, man-chasing young women who live on the fringes."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 9, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
79%
|
The Other Son (2012) |
"
Lévy generally succeeds in creating a compelling, humanistic family drama, even if some viewers may reject the movie's final note of optimism."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 2, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
70%
|
The Loneliest Planet (2012) |
"
Though it's not without virtues, "The Loneliest Planet" may try the patience of even the most dedicated lovers of art film."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Nov 2, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
37%
|
Nobody Walks (2012) |
"
The direction is decent, and the film is handsome. But it's finally frustrating, enigmatic in a way that suggests emptiness more than mystery."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Oct 26, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
58%
|
Bel Borba Aqui (2012) |
"
The film, by Burt Sun and Andre Costantini, is a celebration of the man and his work - for critical perspective, you'll have to look elsewhere."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Oct 19, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
81%
|
Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare (2012) |
"
The film is surprisingly optimistic, arguing that there are genuine, practical answers to many of the problems afflicting the system, and some are already being adopted."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Oct 4, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
69%
|
Liberal Arts (2012) |
"
There are some entertaining and moving scenes here, but, overall, it's a bit softhearted for my taste."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Sep 28, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
60%
|
Stars In Shorts (2012) |
"
"Stars in Shorts" lives up to its title by offering the likes of Judi Dench, Colin Firth, Jason Alexander, Keira Knightley, Lily Tomlin, Kenneth Branagh and Julia Stiles in films ranging from eight to 25 minutes."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Sep 28, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
59%
|
The Eye of the Storm (2012) |
"
Sometimes a feast of acting isn't enough."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Sep 14, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
77%
|
Samsara (2012) |
"
"Samsara" is a ravishing visual experience, but it carries a message that at least some viewers will find less than compelling."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Sep 7, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
54%
|
The Inbetweeners (2012) |
"
You may not be proud of it, but you'll probably find something to laugh at in "The Inbetweeners Movie.""
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Sep 7, 2012
|
|
1/4
|
18%
|
$upercapitalist (2012) |
"
Whatever the makers of "$upercapitalist" had in mind, what they've created is a clunky and cliched melodrama set in the world of international high finance."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Aug 24, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
50%
|
A Burning Hot Summer (2012) |
"
While I have to acknowledge Garrel's skill, the film, which actually has its compelling moments, falls somewhat flat."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jul 20, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
53%
|
Crazy Wisdom (2011) |
"
The film may be of greatest interest to those already familiar with Trungpa. Others may wonder at the shortage of critical perspective, and may find themselves less than wholly sympathetic to Trungpa's controversial actions."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jul 13, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
95%
|
Bonsái (2012) |
"
A melancholy story of romance and regret with moments of drollery and sweetness along the way."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jul 13, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
95%
|
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (2012) |
"
In place of evenhandedness, the film gives us a full sense of a personality and intelligence so riveting that we begin to comprehend why all those hundreds of thousands lined up at the MoMA."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jul 6, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
81%
|
Corpo Celeste (2012) |
"
For those willing to overlook its few slips into heavy-handedness, "Corpo Celeste" tells a compelling story of a 12-year-old girl thrust into a strange new world."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jun 29, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
95%
|
5 Broken Cameras (2012) |
"
[It] makes no pretense at balance - it's unambiguously pro-Palestinian - but it offers a unique and intimate record."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Jun 21, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
77%
|
The Color Wheel (2012) |
"
We're no doubt intended to find a relationship between the climax and the darkly comic misadventures that make up most of the film, but Perry declines to connect the dots for us."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted May 31, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
92%
|
Headhunters (2012) |
"
"Headhunters" is a well-oiled, nasty machine."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted May 3, 2012
|
|
2/4
|
48%
|
4:44 Last Day on Earth (2012) |
"
Though it gains traction toward the end, viewers may finally feel puzzled or indifferent. You expect a bit more from the end of the world."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Apr 20, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
79%
|
Attenberg (2012) |
"
Tsangari's art-house minimalism, which never lets us forget we're watching a movie, still permits a surprising degree of tender emotion."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Apr 20, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
97%
|
Monsieur Lazhar (2012) |
"
An understated story of coping with emotional blows that offers a compelling portrait of a decent man."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Apr 13, 2012
|
|
4/4
|
100%
|
This Is Not a Film (2003) |
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Apr 6, 2012
|
|
4/4
|
99%
|
This Is Not a Film (2012) |
"
An act of political defiance, a moving personal document and a meditation on what film is and can be."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Apr 5, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
98%
|
The Island President (2012) |
"
"The Island President" is a mostly compelling documentary about that rarest of breeds, an appealing politician."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 30, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
82%
|
The Salt of Life (2012) |
"
The film is full of low-key but telling observations, mostly about Gianni's plight but also about modern life in general."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 30, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
86%
|
The Forgiveness of Blood (2012) |
"
Marston artfully uses handheld cameras and natural light and has a nice eye for compositions."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 8, 2012
|
|
3/4
|
85%
|
Crazy Horse (2012) |
"
If nothing else, you'll surely relish the extravagant rhetoric used by Ali Mahdavi, the club's artistic director, to describe what is basically a tasteful nudie revue."
—
San Francisco Chronicle
Posted Mar 8, 2012
|
45%
45%
95%
99%
65%
61%
